Fruit Cocktail Cake

2 cups regular flour 
2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

2 eggs 

1 1/2 cups sugar 

1 can (1 lb 1 oz) fruit cocktail, undrained 

1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or your choice) 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Sift together flour, soda and salt and set aside.

Beat 2 eggs until light, then gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. 

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the can of fruit cocktail undrained into egg and sugar mixture. Mix until smooth after each addition. 

Pour into 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. 

Combine nuts and brown sugar and sprinkle over cake. 

Bake for 30-34 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly with finger. 

While still warm spread with walnut topping: 

Walnut Topping 

1/2 cup evaporated milk 

1/4 cup butter 

3/4 cup sugar 

1/2 cup walnuts 

1 tsp vanilla 

Combine in a saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to full boil and is slightly thickened. 

Remove from heat. Add walnuts and vanilla. Mix well and spread over warm cake. 

The cake is delicious to eat warm. It's one of David's favorite cakes. He found it in my DUP* Lady cookbook.  The texture is both light and moist.   

*Daughters of Utah Pioneers

We asked David what cake we should made for his 21st birthday.
He had candles, but didn't get to eat any of the cake today.